Signal device for storage tanks



April 1, 1939. J. LOGAN 2,154,005

SIGNAL DEVICE FOR STORAGE TANKS Filed Jan. 13, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR {fist/ H A. [om/y April 11, 1939. J LOGAN 2,154,005

SIGNAL DEVICE FOR STORAGE TANKS Filed Jan. 13, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR I Joseph A. L OGAIV If I Patented Apr. 11, 1939 UNITED STATES SIGNAL DEVICE FOR STORAGE TANKS Joseph A. Logan, Springfield, Mass, assignor to Gilbert & Barker Manufacturing Company, West Springfield, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Application January 13, 1938, Serial No. 184,742

8 Claims.

This invention relates to a signal device for use with storage tanks of liquid fuel, such as gasoline or fuel oil for example.

The object of the invention is to provide means 5 for giving a signal when there is an undue accumulation of the heavier liquids which separate by gravity from the fuel and collect in the base of the storage tank. In the case of gasoline, the heavier liquid is water and, in the case of fuel oil, sludge.

The invention also has for an object the provision of a signal device for the purpose described, utilizing as its motive means the flow of air through the vent pipe of the storage tank.

The invention also has for an object the provision of a float, constructed to sink in the gasoline or other fuel and to float in the water or other liquid of higher gravity than the fuel, and arranged to move a suitable part of the signal device from a normally inactive position into a position wherein the aforesaid flow of air may be utilized to give a signal in the event that the water in the tank rises to a predetermined level.

The invention, in its simplest and preferred form utilizes a whistle which is raised by the float under the condition above described, into position where the inflow of air from the vent pipe, or a part of such inflow, will be made to pass through the whistle and effect an audible signal or alarm.

Other objects will appear as the detailed description proceeds and will be pointed out in the appended claims.

The invention will be disclosed with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a sectional elevational View, drawn to a small scale, and showing the invention applied to an underground gasoline storage tank; and

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional elevational view drawn toa much larger scale and showing the details of construction and mounting of the alarm device.

Referring to these drawings and first to Fig. 1 thereof, a storage tank of usual form is shown at 5, buried in the ground represented by 6 and containing gasoline, indicated at l. The usual suction pipe is shown at 8 and on the lower end thereof is the usual foot-valve 9, serving to prevent back flo-w from the pipe into the tank. A vent pipe H), for admitting air to replace the gasoline drawn out through pipe 8 is connected to the top of the tank and this connection is ordinarily made by means of a standard pipe plug (not shown) which threads into a flange ll, welded or otherwise fastened to tank 5. The opening in this flange is usually much larger in diameter than the plug and large enough to enable the alarm device to be inserted into the interior of the tank through such opening. The suction pipe 8 extends to the ground level for connection to a gasoline dispensing pump. The vent pipe extends to and above the ground level to a suitable height and location, as will be well understood by those skilled in the art. The suction pipe, in accordance with usual practice, terminates above the bottom of tank 5 to allow space for the accumulation of a certain amount of water. It is desired, however, to warn the operator in case the water accumulates to an extent where it approaches a level where it might be drawn into the suction pipe.

Referring now to Fig. 2, the usual plug into which the vent pipe is screwed, is removed and another plug 12 substituted therefor. This plug, like the former, screws into flange ll and also receives the threaded lower end of vent pipe in, as shown. Plug i2 however, is formed with a concave seat 53, embordering the lower end of the vent passage I l therein. This seat is shaped to fit the upper face of a whistle l5, having the usual openings it and H in its upper and lower walls, respectively. This whistle is normally supported in the full line position shown and thus spaced below and out of contact with seat I3. The air entering vent pipe it! then passes into the tank 5 through passage i l in the ordinary manner to displace such gasoline as is drawn out through pipe 8. The whistle is attached to a bracket it in such a way as to leave the opening ll of the whistle in unobstructed communication with the tank. The bracket is fixed to the upper end of a rod l 9 which for lightness may be tubular and made of aluminum. A float Z is fixed to the lower end of rod l5. This float sinks in gasoline and floats in water. Consequently, when no water is present in the tank, the float lies at the bottom of the tank as shown or in any other lowermost position which may be selected. As water collects in the tank, the float will rise and raise whistle l5 and, eventually, the upper wall of the whistle will be engaged with and pressed against seat It. Then the air entering through vent pipe it will be forced to pass through the whistle openings i6 and ii in order to enter the tank. Thus, an alarm will be sounded to apprise the operator that water has accumulated to a level such that pumping of gasoline should be discontinued and that the water should be removed through the usual means (not shown) provided for this purpose.

The float and whistle, together with the rod or other connections between them, may be supported and guided in any suitable way. An exemplary means for this purpose is shown in Fig. 2. The two rods 2! are fixed in any suitable way, as by the screw threads shown, to plug I2 and. depend vertically therefrom in spaced parallel relation. These rods carry a plurality of cross pieces 22 interconnecting the rods at vertically spaced points. Each piece 22 is fixed at its ends, 60

as by set screws 23, to the rods 2| and intermediate its ends is formed with a bearing 24 to slidably receive rod l9. Any other suitable support ing and guiding means for the float and Whistle may be provided and that described is merely illustrative of one form suitable for the purpose.

The device, as illustrated, is constructed as a unit, whichincludes a plug, such as 12, adapted to fit the opening in the vent pipe flange l l of the tank and adapted to receive the lower end of vent pipe ID. This unit is so constructed that it may be inserted in or withdrawn from tank 5 through the opening in the vent pipe flange. The alarm device is thus easily installed in a tank. It may also be installed in the tanks of existing installations. All that is necessary is to dig down to the vent pipe flange ll, disconnect the vent pipe ID and remove the plug in flange H. The alarm unit is then inserted through the opening in flange I and finally plug [2 is screwed into such opening. The vent pipe i3 is then screwed into plug l2 and the vent line reconnected at the point where it was broken to allow removal of the plug.

Obviously, the lower position of the whistle and float and thus the distance through which the whistle must be raised in order to sound an alarm, may be varied as desired. In the illustrated structure, the screws 23 enable the upper cross piece 22 which defines the lower position of the whistle, to be raised and thus lift the Whistle nearer the seat l3. In any case, the whistle should engage its seat 13 before the water level reaches the foot valve. The engagement of the whistle with seat I3 need not necessarily be a perfect one, Some air leakage between the whistle and seat can take place without rendering the whistle inoperative. The whistling sound is conducted through pipe ill and can be plainly heard above ground by the operator.

While a whistle has been shown as the signal, as being a very simple, inexpensive and highly satisfactory solution of the problem, it is recognized that other forms of signals, capable of being operated or controlled by air flow or in response to the accumulation of water, may be used without departing from the scope of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. In combination with a tank for liquid fuel, a pipe through which said fuel is withdrawn from the tank, said pipe having its inlet end located near the bottom of the tank but spaced above said bottom to allow for the accumulation in the base of the tank and below said end of liquids of higher specific gravity, a signalling m ans, and means operable by the accumulation of such last-named liquids to a predetermined level below the level of said inlet end to actuate said signalling means.

2. In combination with a storage tank for liquid fuel, said tank having an opening for the passage of air therethrough, a signalling means including a part operable by the flow of air through said opening, said part being movable between an inactive position removed from the path of said flow and an active position located in the path of said flow, a float in said tank constructed to sink in the fuel and float in liquids of higher specific gravity, and connections between said float and part for moving said part from its inactive to its active position by the rising movement of the float.

3. In combination with a storage tank for liquid fuel, such tank having an air vent opening and a. seat surrounding said opening, of a whistle, a

float in said tank constructed to sink in the fuel and float in liquids of higher specific gravity, and connections between the float and whistle for moving the latter from an inoperative position in which the whistle is spaced from said seat toward and into engagement with said seat by the rising movement of the float, whereby when said whistle engages said seat the air flow for venting the tank is forced to pass through and sound said whistle.

4. In combination with a storage tank for liquid fuel, such tank having an air vent opening, a plug to fit said opening and having an air vent passage therethrough and having on its inner end a seat encompassing said passage, a float in said tank constructed to sink in the fuel and to float in liquids of higher specific gravity, an upstanding rod fixed to the float, a whistle fixed to the upper end of the rod and movable from an inactive position in which it is spaced below said seat to an active position in which it is engaged with the seat, and means carried by said plug and depending therefrom to support and guide said rod in its vertical sliding movements; said means, float, rod and whistle as one unit being insertable into and withdrawable from said tank through said opening.

5. In combination with a storage tank for liquid fuel, such tank having an air vent opening, a plug to fit said opening and having an air vent passage therethrough and having on its inner end a seat encompassing said passage, a float in said tank constructed to sink in the fuel and to float in liquids of higher specific gravity, a whistle, and connections between the float and whistle for moving the whistle by the rising movement of the float from an inoperative position in which the whistle is spaced from said seat to and into engagement with said seat; and means carried by said plug for supporting said float, connections and whistle.

6. In a storage tank for liquid fuel, having an opening for the passage of air therethrough, a movably-mounted air-operated signal, a float in the tank constructed to sink in the fuel and float in liquids of higher specific gravity, and connections between the float and signal for shifting the signal by the rising movement of the float into position to receive the air flow through said opening and be operated thereby.

7. A signalling device for storage tanks of liquid fuel, comprising, a plug to fit the air-vent opening of said tank and having therein an air vent passage surrounded by a seat, a float constructed to sink in said fuel and float in liquids of higher specific gravity, a whistle, connections between the float and whistle operable by the rising movement of the float to move the whistle from an inactive position in which it is spaced from said seat and press the whistle against said seat; and means on said plug for supporting said float, whistle and connections and for guiding the whistle to said seat.

8. A signalling device for storage tanks of liquid fuel, comprising, a plug to fit the air-vent opening of said tank and having therein an air vent passage, float constructed to sink in said fuel and float in liquids of higher specific gravity, an air-operated signal, connections between the float and signal operable by the rising movement of the float to connect said signal with said passage; and means on said plug for supporting said float, signal and connections and for guiding the signal to said passage.

JOSEPH A. LOGAN. 

